The present invention relates to printing devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a detector having a bandstop filter that allows the detector to detect at least one characteristic of a sheet of print media used in a printing device and also to detect visible inks used in the printing device.
Printing devices, such as inkjet printers, use printing composition (e.g., ink or toner) to print text, graphics, images, etc. onto print media The print media may be of any of a variety of different types. For example, the print media may include paper, transparencies, envelops, photographic print stock, cloth, etc. Each of these types of print media has various characteristics that ideally should be accounted for during printing, otherwise a less than optimal printed output may occur. Additionally, various print media factors may affect print quality, including print media size and print media orientation.
One way in which a printing device can be configured to a particular print media is to have a user make manual adjustments to the printing device based upon these characteristics and factors. One problem with this approach is that it requires user intervention which is undesirable. Another problem with this approach is that it requires a user to correctly identify various characteristics of a particular print media. A further problem with this approach is that a user may incorrectly manually configure the printing device so that optimal printing still does not occur in spite of user intervention. A device and method for automatically detecting the different characteristics and factors of various print media used in a printing device would be a welcome improvement.
In addition to accounting for particular media types, there are various operating parameters of a printing device that must be initialized and monitored to help achieve optimal printing. These parameters depend upon the type of printing device being used. For example, with inkjet printing devices some of these parameters include alignment of a black ink cartridge with one or more color ink cartridges, detection of clogged printhead nozzles, ink drop volume measurement, and bi-directional printing alignment.
A device and method for initializing and monitoring various operating parameters of a printing device to help achieve optimal printing would also be a welcome improvement. One way in which these various tasks could be accomplished for inkjet printing is through the use of a optical detector that includes a sensor configured to detect visible inks used in the printing device. Such a device would be designed to transmit data acquired by this detection to a controller or other similar device which utilizes this data in managing operation of the inkjet printing device.
Ideally, both of these above-described devices could be integrated into a single detector to conserve space and potentially save cost. Accordingly, the present invention is directed at providing a single detector that is designed to help optimize printing on a variety of different types of print media, under a variety of operating conditions and user inputs, and to detect visible inks used in the printing device.
An embodiment of a detector in accordance with the present invention for use in detecting at least one mark on a sheet of print media used in a printing device, the mark indicating at least one characteristic of the sheet of print media, includes a source, a sensor, and a bandstop filter. The source generates a first light signal that is directed at the mark on the sheet of print media. The first light signal has a first predetermined wavelength. The sensor is configured to detect a second light signal from the mark on the sheet of print media. The second light signal arises in response to the first light signal and has a second predetermined wavelength. The bandstop filter is positioned between the sensor and the mark on the sheet of print media. The bandstop filter is configured to block from the sensor the first predetermined wavelength of the first light signal generated by the source and transmit to the sensor other wavelengths of light, including the second predetermined wavelength of the second light signal.
The above-described detector may be modified and include the following characteristics described below. The first light signal may have a first range of predetermined wavelengths and the second light signal may have a second range of predetermined wavelengths. In such cases, the bandstop filter is configured to block from the sensor the first range of predetermined wavelengths of the first light signal and transmit other wavelengths of light to the sensor, including the second range of predetermined wavelengths of the second light signal. The first range of wavelengths may be substantially between 610 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The second range of wavelengths may be substantially between 675 nanometers and 1,000 nanometers.
The detector may be used in a printing device.
A printing device in accordance with the present invention includes a sheet of print media, a printing mechanism, a controller, and a detector. The sheet of print media has at least one mark thereon that indicates a characteristic of the sheet of print media. This mark fluoresces at a second predetermined wavelength of light in response to absorption of a first light signal of a first predetermined wavelength. The printing mechanism is used for printing on the sheet of print media. The controller controls operation of the printing mechanism. The detector detects fluorescing of the mark on the sheet of print media and transmits in response to this detection data indicative of this mark to the controller. The detector includes a bandstop filter that is configured to block the first predetermined wavelength of the first light signal and to transmit other wavelengths of light, including the second predetermined wavelength of the second light signal. The controller is configured to utilize this data as a factor in controlling operation of the printing mechanism.
The above-described printing device may be modified and include the following characteristics described below. The first light signal may have a first range of predetermined wavelengths and the second light signal may also have a second range of predetermined wavelengths. In such cases, the bandstop filter is configured to block the first range of predetermined wavelengths of the light signal and transmit other wavelengths of light, including the second range of predetermined wavelengths of the second light signal. The first range of wavelengths may be substantially between 610 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The second range of wavelengths may be substantially between 675 nanometers and 1000 nanometers.
The first light signal may be transmitted by the detector.
An alternative embodiment of a detector in accordance with the present invention for use in detecting at least one mark on a sheet of print media used in a printing device, the mark indicating at least one characteristic of the sheet of print media, includes structure for generating a first light signal that is directed at the mark on the sheet of print media, the first light signal having a first predetermined wavelength. The detector also includes structure for detecting a second light signal from the mark on the sheet of print media, the second light signal arising in response to the first signal and having a second predetermined wavelength. The detector additionally includes structure, positioned between the structure for detecting and the mark on the sheet of print media, for blocking from the structure for detecting the first predetermined wavelength of the first light signal and for transmitting to the structure for detecting other wavelengths of light, including the second predetermined wavelength of the second light signal, thereby allowing wavelengths of light other than the first wavelength of light to remain available for tasks other than detecting the mark on the sheet of print media.
The above-described detector may be modified and include the following characteristics described below. The first light signal may have a first range of predetermined wavelengths and the second light signal may have a second range of predetermined wavelengths. In such cases, the structure for blocking and transmitting is configured to block from the structure for detecting the first range of predetermined wavelengths of the first light signal and transmit to the structure for detecting other wavelengths of light, including the second range of predetermined wavelengths of the second light signal. The first range of wavelengths may be substantially between 610 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The second range of wavelengths may be substantially between 675 nanometers and 1000 nanometers.
The structure for blocking and transmitting may include a bandstop filter positioned between the structure for detecting and the mark on the sheet of print media. The first light signal may have a first range of predetermined wavelengths and the second light signal may also have a second range of predetermined wavelengths. In such cases, the bandstop filter is configured to block from the structure for detecting the first range of predetermined wavelengths of the first light signal and transmit other wavelengths of light to the structure for detecting, including the second range of predetermined wavelengths of the second light signal. The first range wavelengths may be substantially between 610 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The second range of wavelengths may be substantially between 675 nanometers and 1000 nanometers.
The structure for generating may include a light emitting diode and the means for detecting may include an optical detector.
The detector may be used in a printing device, like that described above.
An embodiment of a method in accordance with the present invention of detecting a characteristic of a sheet of print media used in a printing device through the use of a detector includes the step of generating a first light signal that is directed at the mark on the sheet of print media. The first signal has a first predetermined wavelength. The method also includes the step of fluorescing a second light signal in response to absorption of the first light signal. The second light signal has a second predetermined wavelength. The method additionally includes the steps of blocking the first predetermined wavelength of the first light signal from a sensor of the detector and transmitting other wavelengths of light to the sensor, including the second predetermined wavelength of the second light signal. The method further includes the step of detecting the second light signal fluoresced by the mark on the sheet of print media.
The above-described method may be modified and include the additional steps described below. The first light signal may have a first range of predetermined wavelengths and the second light signal may have a second range of predetermined wavelengths. In such cases, the blocking step includes blocking the first range of predetermined wavelengths of the first light signal. In such cases, the transmitting step also includes transmitting other wavelengths of light, including the second range of predetermined wavelengths of the second light signal.
The method may include the additional steps of transmitting data indicative of detection of the mark to the printing device and utilizing this data as a factor in controlling operation of the printing device.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.